They say home is where the heart is. But for non-city dwellers, home is also where the sprawling backyards, swimming pools, and stockpile of spare rooms are. With all that, why would you ever leave your house? Let alone, why would you move somewhere you couldn’t have all that? Well, ask an urbanite. Better yet, reference the studies that say cities are catalysts of healthy living, tolerance, and innovation.
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| Chicago skyline |
You may have noticed when the apartment complexes started going up or when construction commenced on a light rail track, but the world is urbanizing — rapidly. As of 2007, for the first time in history 50 percent of the global population lives in urban areas. More people are moving into cities. Cities are encompassing the surrounding area. Towns are developing and urbanizing. So what do you do when the world is changing around you? Get out of your house and check it out. Support the urbanization of your community — whether it’s rural, suburban, or already urban — and see the benefits.
Let your car (your portable home) take a break, get outside, and take the bus. Public transportation is an integral part of nurturing a city’s success. Because cities are sites of overcrowding and congestion, they are forced to provide adequate public transportation. But the unintended, positive side effects of that are outstanding. According to researcher David Vlahov’s “The Urban Health Advantage” published in the Journal of Urban Health, cities have become the healthiest places because of the lifestyle public transportation fosters.
It’s as simple as this: driving makes you fat. Walking to a bus stop, standing during the ride, and walking to your next location twice a day make for a more in-shape you. And with fewer cars on the road, the better quality of air you’ll breathe in.
It’s not just the convenience and healthfulness that has urban dwellers riding the bus. Vlahov’s study also found that people in cities are happy to walk places because the city streets are full of beautiful architecture and places to stop and enjoy.
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| Muni bus, San Francisco |
Go enjoy the public space. Cities are full of local parks, performance venues, recreation centers, theaters, cultural enclaves, and destination landmarks, all welcome to any walk of life. Cities provide these places for residents because of the close quarters they live in and because of the rich variety of people that flock to cities, all with different needs. Additionally, these spaces are all especially accessible because of public transportation.
Having these sites of common ground fosters tolerance. University of Chicago sociologist Louis Wirth explained that city dwellers are more accepting of nontraditional thought and behavior because of their exposure to it at these shared spaces. It’s no surprise that the most tolerantly and liberally voting places in the U.S. are all major metropolitan areas.
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| Central Park, New York |
Because of their shared space and tolerance, cities foster creativity and innovation. "Places where the weird and the uncommon are accepted are places with a social ecosystem that attracts creative people" urban planner Richard Florida told the Gainesville Sun. Cities’ tolerant nature attracts innovative thinking and offbeat lifestyles, something Florida argues provides businesses with a base of creative employees.
High-rise apartments are another facet of shared space. “When you’re jammed, sardine-like, up against your neighbors, it’s not hard to find a community of people who support you,” Vlahov’s study found.
So wherever you live, get out and take advantage of the public forums and venues. Petition for more of them. Vote to preserve community centers that serve everyone. When you make your home more than just your house, you are creating a more tolerant and innovative community.
Picture Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.9
Copyright Lydia O'Connor, 2011
Picture Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.9
Copyright Lydia O'Connor, 2011
